Should We Seize Russian Funds to Pay for the War in Ukraine?
I vote yes! Others disagree.
Given recent Congressional debates on continuing U.S. aid to Ukraine, The Washington Post published an op-ed, discerning whether we should use seized assets of the Central Bank of Russia to pay for the war in Ukraine. I vote yes and believe that Congress should (1) approve new U.S. funds for Ukraine (the subject of this piece in Foreign Policy), and (2) pass the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity (REPO) for Ukrainians Act, which would transfer sovereign assets of the Russian Federation currently frozen in Western financial institutions to Ukraine. While the sum confiscated by the United States is just a fraction of the total currently frozen by the West, U.S. leadership will make it easier for Europeans to follow suit. Others disagree, making the case that doing so violates international law.
Read both viewpoints here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/16/russia-ukraine-assets-seizure-sovereign-immunity/
The editorial board of the Washington Post further stated this evening that funding for Ukraine is top among four national security priorities that Congress must address and approve by next week. https://wapo.st/3R4lSKh
https://archive.vn/vGexS for the article above.
Many articles can be found at https://archive.ph/ aka Archive.Today